Utility board



D. c. BRADEN UTILITY BOARD Feb. 5, 1946.

Filed March 6, 1944 IN VEN TOR, DA'WD C fl/PADAW BY 1 W21;

AT T OAWf I) Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED v STATE PATENT OFFICE UTILITYBOARD David C. Braden, Indianapolis, Ind. Application March 6, 1944,Serial No. 525,154

12 Claims. (014155- 127) The present invention relates to a utilityboard installation, and the primary object thereof is to provide a workboard, for supporting work, books, meals, and the like for a sedentaryinvalid, together with means for suitably securing the board in placeupon a chair, either stationary or wheeled. Further objects of theinvention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing isillustrative only. and that change may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated anddescribed, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wheel chair with myinvention installed thereon;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one of my board-retainingbrackets secured to an arm of a chair when the board is not in use;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a fragment of the boardin place, with the bracket retainingly associated therewith; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line44 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

It is recognized that I am by no means the first to have produced awork-supporting tray or board adapted to be supported upon the arms of achair. But I believe that I hav cured, by the v present invention, theoperational and structural defects inherent in previously known devicesintended for the general purpose for which the present invention isdesigned. By the present invention, I provide a board which isflat uponits upper and lower surfaces; which may be readily removed from, orassociated with, the chair;

which provides a maximum, of work space without interfering withmovement of the a chair;

which provides support for the patients arms when the board is' used forwriting; which may be safely laid upon any flat surface when not in usewithout interference from brackets, rails, or the like upon the bottomsurface of the board; which may be stacked with others like it when notin use; and which may be inexpensively producedin large numbers. I

For purposes of illustration, I have shown my board, in Fig. 1,associated with a wheel chair indicated generally by the referencenumeral H1 and having standard, parallel, horizontal arm rests I I andI2. With each of the arm rests is associated a bracket, indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral l3, and manipulable to engageportions of the board M adapted to be supported upon the upper surfacesof the arm rests l l and I2. The board I4 is formed, at its rear edge,with a cutout portion IE to accommodate the body of the patient; and itsouter edges, near the rearmost portion of the board, are cut away, as atl6 and H, to accommodate the arms of the patient when he desires tohandle the wheels is of the chair. Thus, although the width of the board14 toward its forward portion is substantially equal to the maximumwidthof the chai lll including the wheels 18 and their axles therearward portion of the board has a width only equal to the distancebetween the outer edges of the arm rests ll and I2. Because the Width ofthe forward portion of the board l4 does not exceed the overall width ofthe chair II), the board will not interfere with any movement of thechair. Thus, for instance, the board [4, when installed on the chair,will pass through any door with a width enough to accommodate the chairitself.

The brackets l3 are identical, and one of them is shown in detail inFigs. 2, 3, and 4.

Each bracket comprises a vertical leg l9, formed with a pair ofparallel, spaced, vertically elongated slots 20 and 2|. Screws 22 and 23pass through the slots 20 and 2 1, respectively, and are projected intothe outer vertical edge of the arm rest II or l2. The screws 22 and 23are set up tightly enough to engage the bracket le l9 fric tionally, butare so set that the bracket [3 may be movedvertically by pressureexerted upon the lower edge thereof or upon the upper edge thereof. Thelowermost extremity of the leg [9 is turned inwardly and upwardly as at24 to provide a smooth, curved surface 25 at the lower end of the leg l9for engagement by the patients fingers to shift the bracket upwardly.

Each bracket l3 also comprises ahorizontal leg 26 projecting inwardly tooverlie the upper surface 28 of the arm rest H or l2 with which it isassociated. The bracket leg 26 is formed with a perforation 21 forapurpose later to be described.

The slots 20 and 2| are so proportioned that the screws 22 and 23 arelocated substantially in their upper ends when thelower surface of thebracket leg 26 is in engagement with the upper surface 28 of theassociated arm rest; and that the screws 22 and 23 are substantially inthe lower ends of said slots when the lower surface of the bracket leg26 is spaced from the arm rest surface 28 a distance substantially equalto the thickness of the reduced portion 29 or 30 of the board. Thus,when the board I4 is not in bracket legs 26. a position in which one oranother of the perfoplace, the brackets are depressed to the positionshown in Fig. 2, wherein the bracket legs 26 are not in a position tointerfere with any movement of the patient. When it is desired toassociate the board 14 with the chair, upward pressure is exertedagainst the lower ends 25 of the brackets 13 and they are shifted intothe position illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. he-board i4 is then slidinto the position illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein the portions 29, 33thereof are supported upon the arm rests ll and I2, and engaged betweenthe vertical legs IQ of the two brackets l 3, and

between the horizontal legs, 26 thereof and the" arm rests II and I2. i

The portions 29 and 33 of the board M are preferably formed with aplurality oflongitudinally spaced perforations 3|; and preferably thearm rests H and I2 are formed with sockets 33 registering with theperforations 21 of the The board I4 is shifted into rations 3| of eachportion 29 and 33 registers with the perforation 21 of the associatedbracket. Such perforation 3| will, of course, register also withthesocket 33 and the associated arm II .or I2.

or chain or the like, may now be dropped through the perforation 21 andthe associated board perforation 3|, and into the socket 33, to hold theboard l4 against movement relative to the arm rests and brackets.

Alternatively, the sockets 33 maybe eliminated,

I and the bores 3| of the board portions 29 and 3!] may be eitherperforations or sockets, in which case the pins 32 will cooperate onlywith the perforations 21 and the holes. 3| in the board portions 29 and30. It will be appreciated, of course,

that the pins 32 and holes 21, 3|, 33 are not abso-' ing theirhorizontal branches overhanging the horizontal surfaces of-theirrespective arm rests, and a utility board having portions adapted to besupported upon said arm rests; said board por- A pin 32, whichis'preferably tied or fas. tened to, its associated arm H or H! by astring and with said arm rests for preventing relative tions, when sosupported, being confined between said bracket stems and being furtherconfined between said bracket branches and said arm rests.

2. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans carried by said arm rests and vertically shiftable with respectthereto, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supportedupon said arm rests said bracket means, when at their upper-mostpositions, overlying and engaging said board portions, and meanscooperating with said bracket means and with said board portions forpreventing relative movement between said board and said bracket means.

3. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm .rests, of bracketmeans carried by said arm rests and vertically shiftable with respectthereto, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supportedupon said arm rests, said bracket means, when at their uppermostpositions, overlying and engaging said board portions, and meanscooperating with said board portions movement between said board andsaid arm rests.

4. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans'carried by said arm rests and vertically shiftable with respectthereto, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supportedupon said arm rests, said bracket means, when at their uppermostpositions, overlying and engaging said board portions, and meanscooperating with said bracket means,

said board portions, and said am rests for holding said board againstmovement relative to said arm rests.

5. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each ofsaid members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot,and a horizontal leg, means snugly received in said slot and projectedinto the outer vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure itsmember vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with itshorizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, and a utilityboard h'aving portion insertable between the vertical legs of saidmembers and between the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests.

6. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of Ibracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests,each of said member including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinalslot, and a horizontal leg, means frictionally engaging said verticalleg, projected through said slot and into the outer vertical edge of theassociated arm rest to secure. its member vertically adjustably in placeon said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface ofsaid arm rest, the lower extremity of said vertical leg being-bentinwardly and upwardly to provide a downwardly-facing rounded surface atthe bottom of said leg, and a utility board having portions insertablebetween the vertical legs of said members'and between the horizontallegs thereof and said armrests.

7. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each ofsaid members including a verticalv leg formed with a longitudinal slot,and a horizontal leg formed with a perforation, means frictionallyengaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into theouter vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its membervertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal legoverlying the top surface of said arm rest, a utility board havingportions insertable between the vertical legs of said members andbetween the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests, said portionsbeing formed with sockets registrable with said bracket perforations,and pins insertable through said perforations and in said sockets tohold said board against movement relative to said brackets.

8. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each ofsaid members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot,and a horizontal lg formed with a perforation, means frictionallyengaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into theouter vertical edge of the asso- V ciated arm rest to secure its membervertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal legoverlying the top surface of said arm rest, a utility board havingportions insertable between the vertical legs of said members andbetween the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests, each of saidboard portions being formed with a plurality of spaced socketsselectively registrable with the perforations of one of said brackets,and a pin for each of said brackets insertable through its bracketperforation and into a registering board socket to hold said boardagainst movement relative to said brackets.

9. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each ofsaid members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot,and a horizontal leg formed with a perforation, means frictionallyengaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into theouter vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its membervertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal legoverlying the top surface of said arm rest, each of said arm rests beingformed in such top surface with a socket registering with theperforation in the horizontal leg of its associated bracket, a utilityboard having portions insertable between the vertical legs of saidmembers and between the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests, saidportions being formed with perforations registrable with said bracketperforations and with said arm rest sockets, and pins insertable throughsaid registering perforations and into said sockets to hold said boardagainst movement relative to said arm rests and brackets. a

10. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracketmeans comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each ofsaid members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot,and a horizontal leg formed with a perforation, means frictionallyengaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into theouter vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its membervertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal legoverlying the top surface of said arm rest, each of said arm rests beingformed in such top surface with a socket registering with theperforation in the horizontal leg of its associated bracket, a utilityboard having portions insertable between the vertical legs of saidmembers and between the horizontal legs thereof and rests, and a utilityboard formed with portions adapted to be supported on said arm rests, a

bracket for each of said arm rests and compris- I ing a vertical leg anda horizontal leg, means cooperating with said vertical leg to secure thesame to the outer edge of one of said arm rests for limited verticalmovement with respect thereto and with said horizontal arm overlying theupper surface of said arm rest, said means limiting upward movement ofsaid bracket to a p sition in which the lower surface of the horizontalleg thereof is spaced from the upper surface of its associated arm resta distance substantially equal to the vertical thickness of said portionof said board adapted to be supported on said arm rest, and downwardmovement of said bracket being limited by engagement of its horizontalleg with said arm rest.

12. For use with a chair having horizontal arm rests, and a utilityboard formed with portions adapted to be supported on said arm rests, apair of brackets adapted to be vertically adjustably secured to said armrests to hold said board portions in position thereon, each of saidbrackets comprising a horizontal leg formed with a perforationtherethrough, and a depending vertical leg formed with a pair of spacedparallel longitudinally-extending slots therethrough, the lowermostextremity of said vertical leg being turned upwardly to incline towardsaid horizontal leg to provide a rounded surface at the bottom of saidvertical leg.

. DAVID C. BRADEN.

